Rejected By My Mate; Claimed By Lycan Quadruplets Chapter 319

The grand, luxurious interior of Ryan’s mansion stood in perfect silence—a sharp contrast to the chaos brewing outside.

Kate lounged on the plush cream-colored couch in the living room, her bare feet tucked beneath her, a half-eaten tub of ice cream balancing on her lap.

She had been indulging herself freely since Ryan left for the office earlier that morning.

With no one watching, there was no need to keep up her usual act—no sweet smiles, no fake tears, no calculated pouts.

Just her, the food, and the empty house.

“Finally,” she muttered, scooping another bite of the cold, creamy dessert into her mouth. “Some peace and quiet.”

She had wandered through every corner of the house, opening cupboards, sampling expensive wines from the cellar, and even trying on some of Ryan’s clothes—just because she could.

This was her space now, or at least it would be soon enough once she becomes Ryan’s wife.

Bored, Kate tossed the empty ice cream tub onto the coffee table and grabbed her phone.

“Let’s see what the world’s buzzing about today,” she mumbled, unlocking her screen.

She opened her browser, her eyes lazily scanning the headlines—until one made her freeze.

Her eyes narrowed, and her fingers swiped faster as headline after headline flashed before her:

“Steve Jacob Defends Serena Winthrop: Winters Family Accused of False Scandal!”

“Mysterious Tycoon Steve Jacob Slams Winter's Family Over Fabricated DNA Reports!”

“Public Outrage Against Winter's Family: Has Serena Winthrop Been Framed?”

Kate’s breath hitched, and her face darkened.

“What…?” she whispered, her thumb scrolling furiously.

This wasn’t what Ryan and Rolly had assured her earlier.

They told her that the internet was tearing Serena apart.

They said people were happy that she was arrested and it was making headlines. Isn’t she supposed to be in police custody for the murder of her child?

But this… this was the complete opposite of what she was expecting when she decided to browse the internet.

Comment sections were flooded with insults—not toward Serena, but toward the Winters family.

— “How low can the Winters stoop?”

— “Falsified DNA? Frame-ups? Disgusting!”

— “Serena Winthrop deserves justice! #StandWithSerenaWinthrop!”

Kate’s stomach twisted in frustration.

“What the hell is this?” she hissed, her nails digging into her phone case. She could feel her pulse pounding in her ears.

Almost instinctively, she hit the call button and dialed Mrs. Winters.

The line rang twice before the older woman’s voice came through.

“Kate, dear!” Mrs. Winters greeted warmly. “How are you feeling? Is everything alright?”

Kate inhaled sharply, then quickly softened her tone, layering it with concern and sweetness.

“Oh, Mrs. Winters,” she began, her voice trembling with practiced vulnerability, “I… I just saw something online. It’s—” She paused, as if struggling to find the words.

“It’s so confusing. Ryan and Rolly said Serena was finally getting exposed for being arrested for causing my miscarriage, but… the news I’m seeing… it’s the opposite!”

There was a brief silence.

Then Mrs. Winters sighed heavily, her tone turning sharp and cold.

“So, you’ve seen it too,” she muttered darkly. “That miserable woman. She’s always finding a way to escape consequences!”

Kate pressed the phone tighter to her ear, her eyes glinting. “But… how?” she asked softly, pretending to be naive. “Who—?”

“It’s that bastard, Steve Jacob,” Mrs. Winters snapped, her voice dripping with venom.

“He came out of nowhere, bailed her out of the police custody and defended her. And because of him, the media’s siding with her! His reputation makes it impossible for the press to ignore him.”

Kate bit her lip, but her eyes sparkled with malice.

“Steve Jacob…” she echoed, pretending to sound worried, but inwardly, she was burning with fury.

“Kate,” Mrs. Winters continued, her voice seething with hatred, “Serena has clearly gotten her claws into him. That’s the only reason he’d stick his neck out for her. She’s such an embarrassment—always finding men to shield her. She has no shame!”

Kate’s fingers tightened around the phone. She felt her stomach coil with rage, but then… a plan formed.

Slowly, her lips quivered, and her voice cracked with carefully placed emotion.

“Mrs. Winters…” she whimpered, her tone fragile, “I—I can’t believe this. How can she—after everything she’s done?”

“Kate, don’t upset yourself,” Mrs. Winters said quickly, her tone softening. “It’s not good for your condition right now.”

But Kate’s voice broke, a sob trembling on her lips.

“I can’t help it! How can she be walking free after killing my child?!” Her voice rose, thick with feigned anguish.

“It’s not fair! She can’t just escape like this!”

A pause.

Then Mrs. Winters’ voice came through, colder than ice.

“You’re absolutely right, dear. She won’t get away with it,” she said firmly. “I promise you—this is far from over.”

Kate sniffled. “But the internet… everyone’s starting to side with her…”

Mrs. Winters’ voice hardened. “I don’t care if I have to spend every last dollar—Serena’s so-called innocence won’t last long. I’ll flood every corner of the internet with her disgrace. She’ll never escape Winter's name.”

Kate’s lips curled into a wicked smile, but her voice stayed soft and grateful.

“Thank you, Mrs. Winters,” she whispered. “You’re… you’re the only one who understands my pain.”

“Rest easy, sweetheart,” Mrs. Winters soothed. “This isn’t over until I say it’s over.”

The call ended with a sharp click.

Kate lowered the phone slowly, the fake tears drying instantly from her eyes.

She leaned back on the couch, her lips pulling into a smug grin.

“Fools,” she muttered, her voice dripping with satisfaction. “They believe everything I say.”

Her smile widened, dark and triumphant. “I should win an Oscar for this performance.”

Meanwhile, across the city, Serena sat curled on the edge of her bed, her phone pressed to her ear. Her voice was soft, uncertain. “Steve…”

From the other end, his deep, steady voice responded immediately. “I’m here.”

She took a shaky breath.

“Thank you,” she said softly. “For what you did today… I—” She paused, unsure how to put her feelings into words.

“You didn’t have to. You shouldn’t have. Now they’ll target you too.”

Steve’s voice dropped, rough with affection. “Do you think I care?” he asked bluntly. “Let them try.”

Her fingers tightened around the phone. “But you… you’re Steve Jacob,” she said quietly.

“The whole world knows you, and you’ve always stayed out of scandals. But now… because of me—”

“Because of you?,” he cut in, his tone firm, “I did what should’ve been done a long time ago. You deserve so much more than this mess they’ve thrown you into.”

Serena’s eyes burned, but she held her tears back. “I’m not worth it,” she whispered. “You—”

“Don’t,” he interrupted sharply, his voice softening into something almost tender.

“You’re worth everything. And I’d do it again without hesitation.”

A breath hitched in her throat.

Her lips parted, but the words refused to come. She felt something in her chest—heavy, warm, and confusing.

A moment of silence passed, and then Steve asked, “How’s Amy?”

Serena’s gaze drifted toward the bedroom door, where Amy’s soft, steady breathing could be heard.

“She’s sleeping,” she said softly. “I… I can’t send her to school until this is over. The media’s everywhere. I won’t let them chase her down.”

“I understand,” Steve replied, his voice filled with an edge of protectiveness. “You’re doing the right thing. She’s better off safe for now.”

Serena’s eyes softened, and a small, tired smile tugged at her lips. “Thank you… for always understanding.”

Steve’s voice lowered, a touch teasing but gentle. “You’ll owe me dinner for all this trouble.”

A faint chuckle escaped her lips. “Fine,” she murmured. “When this is over, dinner’s on me.”

“Good,” he said smoothly. “I’ll hold you to it.”

There was a brief silence—calm, easy, and for a moment, Serena felt the weight on her chest ease slightly.

“I should let you rest,” he said finally.

She nodded lightly, though he couldn’t see it. “I’ll be going to my company tomorrow,” she said quietly. “I can’t hide from the scandals forever.”

“I expected nothing less from you,” he replied, his voice warm with admiration. “Face them. Show them who you are.”

Her heart squeezed painfully, and she whispered, “Thanks and Goodnight, Steve.”

“Goodnight, Serena.”

The call ended with a soft click.

Serena lowered her phone, her fingers brushing over the screen.

The room felt quiet—too quiet.

But in the silence, her heart beat steadily, and she felt something she hadn’t felt in a long time since everything started.

‘Hope.’